


hitched

by ashleygail



Category: IT (2017)
Genre: Accidental Marriage, Alternate Universe- Modern Setting - Freeform, But Eddie Kaspbrak has More, Drinking, Implied Cheating, M/M, Post-Break Up Depressions, Richie Tozier has emotional issues, What Happens In Vegas AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-19 11:43:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19973506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashleygail/pseuds/ashleygail
Summary: Richie chuckled, pulling his NYU hoodie over his head. He stepped closer to Eddie and shook out his hair again, making sure to stand close to Eddie and let the ends of his curls get him wet. Eddie gave a shout and shoved Richie away, groaning with a smile. Richie didn’t get a chance to stumble very far, Eddie’s hand catching his wrist and tugging him in.Eddie wrapped his arms around Richie’s middle and buried his face into Richie’s neck. Richie startled for a moment, before wrapping his arms around Eddie and pulling him closer. “Damn, Eds.” Richie said, not understanding why his voice came out so hoarse all of a sudden. “Been a long time since I got a Kaspbrak hug.”[or: Richie has been going through a really rough time since his long time girlfriend had walked out on him, and Stanley's bachelor party was the perfect excuse for a pick me up. A Losers trip to Vegas! It's a perfect idea, until a little too much alcohol gets involved.]





	1. What Happens in Vegas

Richie pulled the blanket firmer around himself. He tried to sink further into his mattress, hoping it would swallow him whole and drag him right down into the under world. It had been almost three weeks since Sandy had packed up all her belongings, and taken off while Richie had been at work. There had been a letter stuck up to his fridge, a letter that Richie had read over a hundred times, until Stan had stolen it from him and ripped it up in hopes that it would get Richie out of the funk. It had only made it worse. Richie simply went to work, and went home. Curled up in bed. Listened to his  _ sad hours  _ playlist on Spotify on a loop.

Richie’s bedroom door swung open, prompting Richie to tense up under his blankets. If he stayed still enough, maybe whoever had decided to interrupt him would think he wasn’t there. Or that he’d died and deserved to be left in peace.

“Get up you piece of shit.” Eddie Kaspbrak‘s voice rang through the room and Richie knew he was screwed. Eddie was the Losers last line of defense. If Eddie was here, it meant that they’d exhausted all other options to get Richie from this apartment. “You need to stop moping around, get up. You still have to live your life. And it’s the 3rd.”

“Yeah?” Richie mumbled into his pillow, pulling his legs closer to his chest. “What about it?”

Eddie grabbed Richie’s comforter and yanked it off, tossing it aside. “Tozier.” Eddie looked up and down Richie’s body on the bed. Richie knew there was garbage around him from the occasional take out he’d get when he found the urge to eat, and that the sheets were probably dirty. Eddie crinkled his nose up in disgust, before sighing and his face softening. “Rich, you gotta get up. This isn’t healthy.”

“Leave me here to die.” Richie said, flopping away from Eddie. He and Eddie were close, had always been close. They’d maybe grown a bit apart in the last few years, since college had ended and they’d been tossed into their adult lives. Distance, schedules... Richie didn’t seem much of Eddie anymore.

“I’ve been begging the others to let me in here for weeks.” Eddie said, dropping down on the bed by Richie’s curled up form. “I wanted to come but they kept saying you’d snap out of it on your own. But that’s clearly not true, so I’m here to make sure you don’t miss this weekend. Because I know that you’re going to regret it if you don’t go.”

“What’s this weekend?” Richie asked, keeping his eyes closed. He wished Eddie would just let him sleep. Richie liked sleeping.

Eddie groaned. “Richie, are you serious? It’s Stan’s bachelor party this weekend. We’re leaving for our Vegas flight in less than four hours. I am not letting you miss this.”

Richie blinked hard, forcing himself to sit up and rub at his eyes. “Stan’s bachelor party? That isn’t until...” Richie frowned, swaying a little bit than groaning. “It  _ is  _ August, isn’t it? Fuck. Okay. I’m getting up. But you need to help me pack.”

“I think that’s half the reason Beverly made me come instead of going herself.” Eddie laughed, then crinkled his nose at Richie’s bed. “Get up and take a shower for the love of God. I can do the packing. I’ll do it better than you anyway.”

Richie couldn’t argue with that, so he got out of bed and slumped own the hall to his bathroom. He kept his eyes closed and the light off through the whole shower, forcing himself not to think about all the showers he’d shared with Sandy.

Finishing up, maybe taking a longer than usual because once he got in there he realized he really was disgusting, and he was toweling off his hair when he got back into his bedroom. He smiled at Eddie, getting a warm smile back. “Thanks for coming, Eds. I really would’ve hated myself if I missed this.”

“Don’t call me Eds, Richard.” Eddie said, but he was still smiling. “If I ask you how you are, are you going to crawl back into bed?”

Richie laughed, moving towards the comfy looking clothes that Eddie had clearly set out for Richie to wear on the plane. He shook his head. “I probably would, if I didn’t feel clean for the first time in weeks and I know how nasty my bed is right now.”

Eddie glanced at it, giving it a dirty, offended look. “Yeah. It’s gross even for you.” He replied. “So. How are you doing? I mean, not good obviously, that’s stupid but- are you gonna be okay?”

Richie sighed, glancing around his room and at his big Queen sized bed. At all the empty space that had once been Sandy’s stuff. “I think I need to get a new place. Everything here reminds me of her. It’s killing me.”

“I think that’s a great idea!” Eddie said enthusiastically. “You know, you can move in with me, if you wanted. I have the extra bedroom, and it would be nice to split on rent.”

Richie raised his eyebrows, slipping into his sweats and ruffling up his wet hair. “And is Martin going to like that?”

Martin was a guy who Eddie had been seeing for the last few months. He’d seemed pretty stuck up, a little pretentious and he’d been pretty clear (at least as far as Richie could tell), that he didn’t like Richie. Richie wasn’t sure how serious it was between Eddie and Martin, and Richie himself wasn’t a fan the guy, but he was a fan of Eddie Kaspbrak and anything that made Eddie happy.

Eddie rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “I don’t know. I don’t care.” Eddie said firmly. “He isn’t the boss of me. If I want to live with you, I’ll live with you. Especially if it means it’ll help you out of a bad place.”

Richie smiled blandly, nodding his head. “We can talk about it after we get back from the trip, yeah? This weekend is about Stan the Man, not me.”

Eddie laughed and nodded. “Yeah. I’m pretty sure Bill has Stan tried up in his trunk to get him here. 

Richie chuckled, pulling his NYU hoodie over his head. He stepped closer to Eddie and shook out his hair again, making sure to stand close to Eddie and let the ends of his curls get him wet. Eddie gave a shout and shoved Richie away, groaning with a smile. Richie didn’t get a chance to stumble very far, Eddie’s hand catching his wrist and tugging him in.

Eddie wrapped his arms around Richie’s middle and buried his face into Richie’s neck. Richie startled for a moment, before wrapping his arms around Eddie and pulling him closer. “Damn, Eds.” Richie said, not understanding why his voice came out so hoarse all of a sudden. “Been a long time since I got a Kaspbrak hug.”

“I’ve missed you.” Eddie mumbled into Richie’s shoulder, letting out a little sigh. He squeezed Richie’s waist. “And I’m worried about you.”

Eddie says the second part quieter, in a way that Richie probably wouldn’t have heard it if he and Eddie hadn’t been standing right up against him. Richie rubbed Eddie’s back and smiled softly where he couldn’t be seen. “We can talk about it later, okay? We need to get going, right?”

Eddie pulled back and gave Richie a sad smile. He knew they weren’t going to talk about it. Eddie just shrugged and pulled back, wall going up. Richie groaned internally, standing their behind his own walls. That had been the problem with Eddie and Richie in the first place, wasn’t it? The damn walls. As Richie opened his mouth to say anything to Eddie to track them back, Eddie was tossing Richie his suitcase and walking out of Richie’s room.

Richie kicked at his bed, not completely sure why he was feeling so bothered. Well, no, he knew. Lately he’d been so caught up in his post-Sandy misery, he’d forgotten what had been bothering him for so long before. He  _ missed  _ Eddie, missed the easy relationship they’d always had. Sometime in last year or so, the simple ease between them had broken down to grind that left Richie feeling on edge and uneasy. Richie sort of felt like he’d lost an arm, unbalanced and uncomfortable.

When he got out his apartment, any chance of talking to Eddie was dashed when he saw Eddie talking to Ben and Bev. Forcing a smile, Richie let himself get hugged by his friends and dodged questions on whether or not he was okay. Eddie patted Richie on the shoulder, taking Richie’s stuff and tossing it into back seat. “Let Richie alone.” Eddie said without giving Bev or Ben a spare look. “If he wants to talk about it, he will.“

“Well, that’s just a lie.” Beverly said, shooting Ben an amused smirk. Richie smiled at Eddie, the pair of them climbing into the back seat while Ben started up the car. There were nervous lines at the corner of Eddie’s eyes and Richie sighed. Eddie had always been uncomfortable with flying, even though he’d never actually told anybody, and Richie felt a little pang of affection in his chest.

Richie wrapped a hand around Eddie’s wrist and squeezed. Eddie looked at him, frowning. Richie squeezed once again and then gave Eddie half a smile. Eddie’s cheeks turned a lighter shade of pink, and he looked away to stare out the window. His hand came down on top of Richie’s, stopping him when it felt like Richie might pull his away. 

They arrived just before their boarding time, something Eddie complained loudly about as they got ushered onto their plane. They barely had time Richie took a look at his ticket and frowned, jumping through the aisle towards Beverly, wrapping his hands around her wrist.

“Switch seats with me.” Richie said quickly, staring Beverly in the eyes. Beverly frowned at him before glancing over her shoulder and seeing Eddie settling into the seat beside her.

Beverly immediately frowned and turned back to him with disappointment and concern written all over her face. Richie was groaning before she even spoke up. “Richie, don’t do this to yourself.” She said. “You’re still healing from Sandy, and reverting backwards isn’t going to-”

Richie held his hands up and started shaking his head. “It’s not that, okay? I’m way way over that. This is.. this is something else, okay? Just... fucking switch me.”

Beverly rolled her eyes, and grabbed her things before shuffling over to take the seat next to Bill. Bill looked over to where Richie was dropping down beside Eddie, and gave him a sad look.

Eddie looked confused as Richie settled in beside him, brow furrowing. “You mean I have to spend the next five hours stuck next to  _ you?  _ This flight is cursed. It’s going down.” Eddie said but Richie watched the panic flash behind Eddie’s eyes.

The pilot came over the speaker and started giving the usual boring explanation of plane ride expectations. The year before when Richie had been living in New York, and Sandy was still back in California, he’d done an inhuman about flying between states. But Eddie’s face paled and his jaw clenched as the plane starting to kick up.

Richie held his hand out, palm up as an offer. He didn’t take it himself, just left it there for Eddie if he wanted it. Eddie didn’t even hesitate before grasping the offered comfort and squeezing so hard it hurt. Richie questioned for a moment that maybe Eddie was going to break his fingers as the plane starting through turbulence, but Eddie’s grip loosened as the plane started to steady out.

“Thanks.” Eddie breathed out, cheeks a little pink. He didn’t let go of Richie’s hand. Richie’s hand was quickly getting too hot but he didn’t want to let go. This was the longest he’d stayed in contact with somebody in weeks, and Richie didn’t want to loose it. He knew Beverly would be watching them like crazy right now, but he just couldn’t be bothered to care what she thought. He knew what this was, and he knew why he’d sat down next to Eddie.

Eddie and Richie kept their hands tangled together, while they started a simple conversation. Easy, nothing important. None of the things Richie knew that Eddie wanted to ask him about. Eddie had always been reading when a place wasn’t right for a serious conversation, so long as Eddie isn’t pissed beforehand.

Eventually, Eddie’s head lolls down onto Richie’s shoulder and his eyes flutter shut. “Mmm...” Eddie hummed, nuzzling closer to Richie. “Sleepy. Can I sleep here?”

“Yeah,” Richie grunted, throat feeling a little tight. He told himself that it was just missing the closeness that he’d lost so suddenly. It had been ages since somebody had snuggled up against him. It was nice. “Course, Eds.”

Eddie mumbled something into Richie’s neck that might have- probably had been-  _ don’t call me Eds,  _ but he seemed to zoink out almost immediately. Richie looked down at Eddie, noticing now the dark circles under his eyes and seemingly paler than usual skin and felt a sad pang in his chest. He’d really been neglecting his friendships lately, and that had to change.

Eddie slept straight through the rest of the ride, head on Richie’s shoulder and hand half-limp hand resting in Richie’s, until the plane started to descent and Eddie woke with a start. His hand immediately tightened in Richie’s and he wheezed. Richie rubbed his thumb along Eddie’s palm in an attempt to calm him.

“It’s fine,” Richie whispered to him. “We’re going to be landing soon, is all.”

“God, I don’t know how you did this so much for that bitch.” Eddie spoke through a clenched jaw and Richie bristled, but decided to let that one slide. It wasn’t the first time that Eddie had let slip some sort of sign that he hadn’t liked Sandy; it had come out more than a few times in their three year relationship. Richie had always tried not to let it bother him, but he knew that it had forced him and Eddie apart.

Eddie had been groggy as they stumbled off the plane and into the airport. The rest of the Losers chatted up a storm, finally having the reunion that they’d been robbed off back at the New York airport. Eddie didn’t say much, leaning up against Richie as they walked through the airport. They weren’t holding hands anymore, but their bodies pressed together where they stood together.

Stan was glaring at him. That usual look of when Stan wants to lecture Richie on being an idiot, but wasn’t going to at the moment. Richie made a mental note to prepare himself for it later, and enjoy being pressed up against a sleepy Eddie now.

The cab ride to their casino hotel was chaotic, everybody speaking over each other and nobody getting any information. Something about Ben getting a promotion, maybe Mike seeing a new girl. Richie wasn’t sure because Eddie was scrolling through his phone, frowning, and Richie was starting to feel worried. As they’d gotten to their casino, Eddie held a finger up and pushed his phone towards his ear. “Sorry, I have a bunch of missed calls and texts from Martin, I need to give him a text and make sure everything is okay.”

Richie hadn’t wanted to eavesdrop, he really hadn’t. Eddie just hadn’t really moved away from him so he could hear everything, if he tuned his ear to Eddie’s voice and ignored everybody else’s chattering.

“Hey, baby! You called?” Eddie’s cheerful tone didn’t match the bored expression on his face. “I was on the plane... No, I didn’t get them, I was on the plane... You can’t have your phone on during the plane! No, you can’t.  _ Martin.  _ Come on, are we going to really fight about this right now?” Eddie pinched the brim of his nose, shaking his head slowly. “We just got to the hotel... yes, he’s here.... baby...”

Eddie eyed Richie awkwardly, then shuffled away so that Richie couldn’t hear the rest of the conversation. Richie’s stomach dropped and wrapped his arms around himself, moving closer to the group of his friends at the front check-in.

Stan immediately zooned in on him, narrowing his eyes. He grabbed keys from the counter and walked over to him. “Do I need to say it?”

Richie let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. “No. You don’t need to say anything.”

Stan nodded, dropping a key into Richie’s hand. “Good. Best man gets his own room.”

Richie beamed and smacked a wet kiss to Stan’s cheek. Stan groaned and wiped it away, but he was chuckling. “Now I normally don’t encourage this sort of behaviour, but maybe you should bring somebody back with you. Get yourself.... going?”

Richie laughed, covering his face. “Stanley, shut up man. You have no idea what you’re talking about, do you?”

Stan shook his head. “Absolutely none. But I need you to be okay again and I don’t really know how to do that so-”

“Working on it, Stan.” Richie nodded, clasping Stan on the shoulder. “Promise promise.”

Eddie stumbled up, looking a little red eyed. “Who am I rooming with?” Eddie asked before anybody had the chance to ask him if he was okay. Richie shuffled slightly closer to him, before feeling Stan’s hand grab his arm and tug him back.

“Bill.” Stan said sharply at the same time Bill responded with a “me.”

Eddie groaned loudly, looking slightly moments away from stomping his feet. “No. Come on. You  _ know  _ what Bill is like when he’s drunk!” Eddie turned to Richie, pouting. “Can I stay with you?”

“Sur-” Richie started before Stan stomped down on his foot.

“No.” Beverly broke in. “Sorry, Eddie. Best man gets his own room.”

Eddie frowned, turning away and grabbing the extra key that Bill was holding out to him. Richie glowered at both Stan and Beverly, who were both giving him matching unimpressed looks. Richie shrugged one shoulder and looked towards the casino. “Can we start drinking now? I feel like I need to start drinking.”

“ _ Hell  _ yes!” Bill cheered.

✳✳✳

Richie was a solid five drinks in when Eddie slumped into the seat beside him, swaying. Richie looked at him with wide eyes, world a little blurry even with his glasses on. Eddie’s perfectly styled hair had flattened down over his face and was falling into his eyes, cheeks a dusting pink and way, way past sober. “Martin is an  _ asshole.” _

Richie raised his eyebrows at the bartender he’d been chatting with the last hour or so. He knew that Stan had suggested that Richie go out and get himself laid, but Richie really wasn’t feeling up to that just yet. He was barely even feeling up to being at this bachelor party in general, and was just trying to power through until it seemed late enough that he could disappear off to bed.

The bartender, Kay, leaned forward on her elbows and smiled at Eddie. “What’s the matter, sweetie? Boy troubles?”

“My boyfriend sucks!” Eddie cried, voice slurring. “He’s  _ soooo  _ mad that I’m here. He had some  _ stupid  _ dinner party this weekend for his  _ boring job.”  _

Richie pressed his mouth against his knuckles, trying to hold back his giggles. Ranting drunk Eddie was Richie’s favourite kind of drunk Eddie, and he couldn’t deny getting a sick satisfaction from hearing Eddie talking shit about Martin. 

“And he doesn’t want me with my best friend!” Eddie continued as though Richie wasn’t sitting right beside him. “It’s so stupid, he’s always been so jealous of Richie.”

“Oh, lil ol’ me?” Richie sang, knocking back the rest of his drink and swaying into Eddie’s space. “Why’s that, Eds?”

Kay looked between the two men with a smirk on her face. She filled up Richie’s drink, with a duplicate for Eddie, and pushed them towards the both of them. They accepted them without question, Eddie knocking his entire drink back in one go while Richie sipped at his.

“Because you’re better than him, and he knows it?” Eddie laughed, swaying into Richie’s space. “Because he’s a stupid prude-y asshole? I don’t know, man. He just... fuck that. Fuck everybody. You know  _ what?” _

Eddie started poking Richie in the chest, a warm heat spreading through Richie from the touch. “What, my love?” 

“Let’s go do something fun.” Eddie started nodding as he agreed with himself. Richie smiled all dopey at his drunk best friend. “Cuz Sandy... she was  _ bitch,  _ Richie. And she never deserved you. And Martin sucks, I am so... I am  _ so mad  _ at him. So. les... lets go.Let’s fucking go.“

“Alright, Eds.” Richie finished the last of his drink while Eddie stared at him with wide, excited eyes. “Let’s  _ fucking  _ go.”

✳✳✳

Richie registered that his head was pounding before he even registered that he was awake. He groaned, rolling to sit up and stumble around to find aspirin and water. He didn’t get the chance to get out of the bed before noticing the heavy weight of a person sleeping behind him.

Panic burst out through Richie in every inch of his body, momentarily over taking his exploding brain. He glanced down and sighed out a breath of relief at the sight of the baggy sweatpants that he knew Eddie would’ve packed him to sleep in. He tried to wrack his brain to why there would be somebody in his bed, but he had nothing there. A big, empty, horrible blank. Not just a regular missing memory, but something more. Like Richie knew something important was missing.

Then it caught his eye. A big, ugly, bulky ring on his ring finger. The ring finger of his left hand. Nausea rushed over Richie that had nothing to do with the hangover. He took a big, heave of breath and forced himself to look over his shoulder.

Eddie Kaspbrak was sleeping in the bed beside him, wearing Richie’s T-shirt. Richie looked away quickly, slapping his hands over his face.

“Fuck.”


	2. What Happens Between Two Bros

**_July 2008_ ** _. Bill Denbrough’s basement. _

_ Richie Tozier stumbled, completely out of his mind drunk, towards the closest seat he could find. Maybe that seat happened to be occupied by Eddie Kaspbrak, but Richie was pretty sure he wasn’t getting any further. _

_ “Richard, what the fuck.” Eddie shoved at Richie’s shoulders as a weak attempt to get him off, but Richie had completely curled up and wasn’t making it easy. Sprawling out across Eddie’s lap, Richie made several, loud happy noises and Eddie sighed. “You’re a pain in my ass.” _

_ Richie hummed, biting at the skin around Eddie’s jeans. Eddie groaned, pushing Richie’s head away. “I love youuuuuuuuuuu.....” Richie sang, shifting around to flop onto his back, looking up at Eddie with big, not-present-at-all eyes. _

_ Eddie rolled his eyes, but he smiled, too. “I love you, too.” Eddie pet his fingers through Richie’s hair and smiled down at him. “And you’re really wasted, so I think it’s time I put you to bed.” _

_ “Noooooooo!” Richie wrapped his arms around Eddie’s middle and buried his face there. Eddie, not close to sober himself, was plagued with the thoughts of Richie that he’d vowed he’d never let himself think about. “You don’t get it. You don’t... I love you.” _

_ Eddie’s skin tingled and he could just barely see how Richie was looking at him from half underneath Eddie’s shirt. “You’re drunk.” _

_ Richie squinted. “Hmmm. Yeah. Yeah, definitely.” _

_ “Okay.” Eddie forced out a laugh. “Let’s get you to bed, then. Sleep this craziness off.” _

_ Richie frowned, then pouted. “Will you sleep with me?” _

_ Eddie choked on the air. _

**_April 2010_ ** _. Hanlon farm, prom night _

_ Eddie shoved Richie up against the back of the barn, slipping his lips against Richie’s neck, Richie’s head whacked up against the wooden frame and squeezed his eyes shut. “Fuck, you’re drunk.” Richie said, realizing how slurred his words were then. “Fuck, I’m drunk. Eds... Eddie, stop.” _

_ Eddie pulled back and looked at him with wide eyes, frowning. “Don’t you want to?” He asked, swaying a little bit. He crashed a little forward into Richie’s chest. Richie’s heart clenched. _

_ “I do, of course, I do.” Richie said, brain disconnected from his mouth now more than it ever had been before. “Just not like this. It should be right if something ever happens between us. The right time.” _

_ Eddie pouted. _

_ “Talk to me in the morning if you still want this,” Richie said, already losing the edges of the conversation. _

_ There was no conversation in the morning. _

**_October 2011_ ** _. Eddie and Richie’s college dorm room. _

_ Richie was curled up in a ball on his bed when Eddie stumbled in. Richie closed his eyes, hoping that Eddie would think he was sleeping. Richie loved Eddie, really, with all of his heart. But the last two years of university had been difficult. Eddie had been coming into his own, and Richie was so fucking proud of him, but constantly seeing Eddie going off to parties, being dragged off by different guys, and covered in sex marks was really starting to take its toll on Richie. _

_ Only two more months until the year ended, and they got to move out. Richie would feel terrible when he finally told Eddie what he was going to do, but he supposed he couldn’t feel any worse than he did right now listening to Eddie stumble around their shared dorm room. _

_ Suddenly Richie’s bed covers were being pulled back and Eddie’s body was flopping down beside him. Eddie curled up into his space and Richie’s breath caught in his throat. “I know you’re awake.” Eddie whispered, sounding groggy but more sober than Richie had expected. They were both quiet for a moment, Eddie just curled up against him, and Richie almost thinks he’s fallen asleep until; “When are you going to tell me about California?” _

_ Richie exhaled hard, knowing that Eddie might not even know he was asking this. “When I’m ready.” Richie said slowly. “How do you know?” _

_ “Saw the letter.” Eddie replied sleepily. “Months ago. Saw how big it was. Could only be one thing ya know? That’s what you told me when I got my letter from UMaine. That a big letter could only mean one thing. So I was waiting for you to tell me, but you never did.” _

_ Richie sighed, the late night getting the better of him. “Well, it’s not like you’ve been around much to tell, Eds.” _

_ Eddie is quiet for a moment before Richie hears it. The sniffling. He rolls onto his side and pulls Eddie closer to him. “Fuck, Eds. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.” _

_ Eddie let out a breath against Richie’s collar and didn’t hug him back. “It’s because of me, right?” Eddie asked sadly. “That’s why you’re leaving?” _

_ “No, Eddie.” Richie half lied. “I’ve always wanted to leave Maine, you know? That had always been the plan. I’ve been here longer than I ever expected or wanted to be. It’s just time to move on.” _

_ “Time to move on from me.” Eddie said, pulling away and laying on his back. “Rich. I’m sorry, I know that-” _

_ “Stop, Eddie, please.” Richie said, voice breaking on his plea. “I don’t want to have this conversation like this. Can we please just-” _

_ Richie’s would-be suggestion of sleeping was suddenly cut off by Eddie’s lips pressing up against his. Richie went stalk still under Eddie, and Eddie pulled back quickly, cupping his face. “Richie...” Eddie said in a broken voice, pressing another quick kiss to Richie’s lips that Richie didn’t return. “Rich...” _

_ “You can’t do this to me, Eddie.” Richie said, gently rolling his drunk best friend off him. “Okay? I can’t do this again.” _

_ Eddie let out a little sob and launched himself from the bed, nearly tripping over his own feet in his haste. Richie rolled over on his side, pulled his knees up to his chest and tried not to hear Eddie cry. _

**_April 2015._ ** _ New York City. _

_ Richie clasped Eddie on the back as they hugged, patting at him before pulling back. He smiled at his friend before leaning forward to press a quick kiss to his cheek. “Eddie Spaghetti! It’s been too long!” _

_ “You say that every time we see each other, no matter how long it’s been.” Eddie reminded him with a goofy smile. _

_ “And it’s always true.” Richie said, tossing an arm around Eddie and leading him through the crowded street of New York. “So, you’re going to show me around this great city? The highs? The lows?” _

_ “This isn’t the first time you’ve visited me here, Richie.” Eddie reminded him lightly, not moving from the warm comfort of Richie’s arm. There had been a different sort of energy around this trip since Richie had suggested it, a charge to it that left Eddie’s stomach leaping. A sweet yet sick rush that maybe this time, maybe at last... _

_ “Yeah,” Richie said, waggling his eyebrows in a way that didn’t match Richie’s soft smile. “But this is going to be my last visit before I live here.” _

_ Eddie’s mouth dropped open and he blinked hard. “I- you- what?” _

_ Richie’s face broke into a shit eating grin. “I did a phone interview with SNL and they want to come on a writer. Not doing any of the on-screen stuff, but it’s honestly like-” _

_ Eddie let out an excited scream, and tossed himself into Richie’s arms. Richie caught him, laughing, and spun him around. This was it, Eddie thought to himself. Its really happening, all that awkwardness from college was going to go away, and it was really happening, it- _

_ “It’s gonna be a little hard, doing the long distance thing with Sandy-” Richie was saying as he placed Eddie back on the ground. Eddie blinked, then frowned. He vaguely remembered Richie mentioned going on a few dates with a girl named Sandy, but it had never come up again and Eddie had assumed it wasn’t serious. _

_ And as Richie raved about his girlfriend, and how happy he was, Eddie’s world collapsed in around him. _

**_August 2019_ ** _. Las Vegas Hotel. _

Richie, dressed in just his boxers, banged on the door that he knew was supposed to be Beverly’s room. It took a while, but the door eventually opened. A familiar looking black woman stood in front of him, wearing bras and panties, and Richie frowned. He wasn’t sure exactly where he knew her from and slowly tried to rack his messy, dulled brain.

Then it clicked.

“Hello bartender lady from last night,” Richie said slowly, raising one brow. “Is my lovely friend Bev here? You know, about 5 feet tall, red hair, great tits?”

She laughed, shaking her head and stepped back from the door, ushering Richie inside. Beverly was laying in the bed, hair brought up in a messy bun on her head and last night’s makeup spread all over her cheeks. Richie stumbled towards the big bed and flopped right down on top of her.

“Bevvvv I fucked up so bad.” Richie whined, wrapping his arms around Beverly’s middle and attempting to bury himself alive in her pillow. Beverly grunted underneath him, squirming.

“Does this have something to do with the cute little guy man who came up to you last night?” Kay the bartender questioned. Richie lifted his head away from the pillows to glower at her. She didn’t look nearly as wrecked as Beverly, but he could dimly see the markings moving down her neck and towards her breasts.

“What?” Beverly squawked, rolling over so that she was finally looking up at Richie’s clearly hungover form. Despite the messy hair and wrecked make up, the glint in Beverly’s eyes told that she wasn’t all that hungover, and that her drinking from the night before had probably been at least a little bit faked. “She better not be talking about Eddie, Richard Tozier, or I swear to god.”

Richie groaned, rolling off of her and flopped backwards onto his back. He covered his face with his hands. “Bevvvvvv!!! I fucking fucked up!”

Beverly reached over and patted him on the back. “Don’t worry about it, Rich. It’s not like you two haven’t been down these roads before. In fact, you’ve probably done it more than seems normal at all. You’ll be fine.”

“It’s a little different this time, Bev.” Richie said quietly, rubbing at his eyes.

Kay let out a chuckle. “Judging by the ugly $12 Vegas ring on his finger, I’d say he and twink boy have gotten themselves in a little bit over their heads this time.”

Richie shouted, rolling on himself in an attempt to cover his hand and his ring. Beverly pounced onto him, grabbing at every spot on his body she could find until she got a hold of his left hand and yanked the ring from his finger.

“Give that back!” Richie shouted, trying to scramble onto her in desperation to get the ring back. His finger already felt cold and empty without it. “Beverly! Seriously! Fuck you, give it back!” 

Beverly raised her eyebrows, dropping the ring back into Richie’s out stretched palm. There was stiff silence in the room as Richie slowly placed it back onto his finger. “A little attached to that ring, huh?” Beverly said slowly, narrowing her eyes at him.

Richie flushed. “I just don’t want to loose it. For when I my return on it.”

“What part of any of this was keeping your distance from Eddie?” Beverly asked, sitting on her knees with her arms crossed. She glowered down at him, nearly burning a hole through his skull. “We talked about this a hundred times!”

“You sent him into my apartment to break me out of a depressive episode!” Richie whined.

Beverly rolled her eyes. “Yes! Because it didn’t work when any of the rest of us did it, and we knew he’d be able to get through to you!”

“Because he’s my the love of my life!” Richie cried. Beverly dropped backwards slightly, hands dropping into her lap. Richie bit his bottom lip and he heard Kay coughing awkwardly. “He’s the love of my life. We were always meant to be together, we were always gonna get married, Bev. I think I knew that. This might not be the best way for it to have happened, but I’m sure this is where we were meant to end up. Somehow. And I know Eddie feels the exact same way.”

“FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!” Eddie screamed, punching his fist repeatedly into the hotel room pillow. His own screaming was making his brain vibrate inside his skull, and the space behind his eyes burned but he couldn’t seem to express his displeasure any quieter. “WHAT THE FUCK? THIS IS THE WORST THING I’VE EVER DONE. THIS IS FUCKING DISGUSTING.”

“Eddie, take a breath.” Mike Hanlon said in concern, hands hovering around Eddie’s incredibly tense back. “I really need you to tell me what’s happening here.”

Eddie let out a heaving breath. He finally pulled himself away from abusing the pillow and glared at Mike. He reached out to grab an ugly looking ring off the bed side table and chucked it towards Mike. “I married Richie last night! Married him! It’s disgusting and terrible and I have a boyfriend!” Eddie cried, while Mike looked at the ring with a look of pure shock on his face. “I love a boyfriend, and I cheated on him with Richie Tozier of all people! And I- I love my boyfriend.”

Mike lowered the ring from his face and gave Eddie a long, hard look. “Okay, you don’t have to lie to me.” He said. “You don’t have to freak out, either. Tons of people get married in Vegas. Tons of idiots, Eddie, damn. You can get it annulled. It’ll be like it never happened.”

“Really?” Eddie sighed happily. “God all I want is to forgot this even happened. Like, easily the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. Richie Tozier? Even drunk you’d think I’d do better.”

“Eddie-” Mike shook his head and pinched his nose. “Okay, whatever. You’re being dumb. But yes, you can get it annulled downtown. You will probably want to talk it out with Richie first. Then you can go home to Martin and keep pretending that makes you happen.”

Eddie rolled his eyes. “You’ve made your thoughts about Martin very clear, Mike. It doesn’t change anything.”

“No.” Mike agreed, handing Eddie the ring back. “It certainly doesn’t. Now just do not mention to Stan that you and Richie got married at his bachelor party and totally stole his thunder.”

Eddie nodded, placing the ring back onto the bed side table.


End file.
